All Blog Posts Tagged 'auditor' - Home Energy Pros2015-08-02T18:51:44Zhttp://homeenergypros.lbl.gov/profiles/blog/feed?tag=auditor&xn_auth=no4 Things to Check Before Installing a New, High Efficient Heating System.tag:homeenergypros.lbl.gov,2012-07-05:6069565:BlogPost:883612012-07-05T05:38:33.000ZDon Ameshttp://homeenergypros.lbl.gov/profile/DonAmes
<p>I had just completed a home energy audit and learned that insulation levels and air sealing measures were up-to-speed. After crawling into the attic, performing a duct blaster, checking the temperature of the hot water, and a bunch of other things, I had come to the educated conclusion that this home’s best chance for improved energy efficiency and lower energy bills while heating the house would include replacing the heating source.</p>
<p>The 80% gas furnace is in the garage right next to…</p>
<p>I had just completed a home energy audit and learned that insulation levels and air sealing measures were up-to-speed. After crawling into the attic, performing a duct blaster, checking the temperature of the hot water, and a bunch of other things, I had come to the educated conclusion that this home’s best chance for improved energy efficiency and lower energy bills while heating the house would include replacing the heating source.</p>
<p>The 80% gas furnace is in the garage right next to the gas water heater. The home is built on a sloping hillside so the ceiling in the garage is about 16 feet up. The furnace sits out-of-the-way under the stairs. It’s a down draft furnace with an Electric Air Cleaner sitting in the return air plenum over the furnace.</p>
<p>The Electric Air Cleaner has not worked in several years and the metal plates have been removed and replaced with 4 inch thick media filters. The door to the Air Cleaner opens facing the side wall of the garage. The wall is so close that the media filter must be cut into two pieces to manage the opening.</p>
<p>Removing this 26 year old furnace and installing a 96%, two stage, variable speed gas furnace should produce noticeable energy savings and lower heating and cooling bills. To get the most out of the $3,800 that the new furnace and installation will cost, there are a few things to check first before you start heating the house.</p>
<p><strong>Number One - Heating Duct Air Leakage</strong></p>
<p>Before installing the new furnace and allowing the new efficiently heated air to escape unused, the heating duct system should be checked for air leakage and then sealed as needed.</p>
<p>Numerous test homes have shown that sealing heating ducts is the most cost effective, energy saving, retrofit you can install. Do you need to have a pro with a Duct Blaster test your ducts and then have a duct sealing company seal them? Well, no, not exactly.</p>
<p>If your brother-in-law is an energy auditor with a duct blaster, invite him over. If your Power Company, gas or electric, has a duct sealing program, sign up. Your power provider may test your heating ducts for free. Otherwise, I suggest you handle the possible leaky duct system this way: Don’t test, just seal them. They probably need it anyway, and the more duct mastic the better.</p>
<p>If you have insulated flexible vinyl ducts, go ahead and check the connections where the flex ducts attach to the metal plenum or the metal register boots. Seal all the joints in the metal plenum and seal the boots to the floor. To seal the boots to the floor, you might need to have a hammer and some medium sized nails.</p>
<p>If you have metal ducts, whether they are round or rectangular, seal all the joints and connections with duct mastic. Remember, duct mastic can be applied with a gloved hand and works best when it’s applied nickel thick.</p>
<p>Duct sealing goes for both the supply and return air ducts. This means that you may need to spend some time in both the attic and the crawl space.</p>
<p>Remember, sealing the supply and return heating ducts is one of the most cost effective and successful retrofits you can do to your home that will save energy and lower energy bills.</p>
<p><strong>Number Two - Room Air Balancing</strong></p>
<p>Well, here’s a good one you might not of heard of before. The heating system is simply more efficient when it operates as a balanced system. That means, when the interior doors are closed, like they often are, the air pressure in each room should stay about the same.</p>
<p>If you have a bedroom door closed and the furnace comes on to warm the home and the warm air is forced into the room by the heating ducts and the air cannot get out of the room as fast as the heating duct is supplying the air, then you have a room with increased air pressure and you have a home that has lost energy efficiency.</p>
<p>The air that comes out of a heat register needs to find its way back to the return air duct system without having to squeeze through too many restricted channels.</p>
<p>As the pressure builds up in the room, the air you just spent money to heat up may find its way through the small draft hole between the wall and the window and end up being lost to the great outdoors. The higher the pressure, the more air is forced through the hole.</p>
<p>You can get a pretty good idea concerning air pressure in a room by conducting this do-it-yourself test.</p>
<ul>
<li>Turn on the furnace or turn just the furnace fan on - if your thermostat will turn just the fan on.</li>
<li>Close the door to the room in question.</li>
<li>Light a stick of your favorite smelling incense.</li>
<li>Crack open the door until you can just peek into the room.</li>
<li>Hold the stick in front of the opening.</li>
</ul>
<p>If the smoke blows back into your face like a Mack Truck just went by, you have a serious problem. If the smoke floats gentle back towards your face, you have a small, perhaps insignificant problem.</p>
<p>There is several good fixes that will add balance to the room air pressure. Consider one of the following:</p>
<ul>
<li>Remove the door</li>
<li>Cut the bottom of the door off so there is a larger air passage between the door and the floor.</li>
<li>Install a pass through vent by cutting a rectangular hole through the wall over the door and installing a heating register over the hole on both sides of the wall.</li>
<li>Install an additional return air duct and register in the ceiling of the room and connect it to the return air plenum.</li>
</ul>
<p>Anyway, if you’re installing a new high efficiency furnace and your rooms are not pressure balanced, you will lose some of that desired efficiency.</p>
<p><strong>Number Three - Furnace Filter</strong></p>
<p>Since the heating contractor will be making adjustments to the duct system that connects to the furnace, now is a great time to address the furnace filter.</p>
<p>Servicing the furnace filter is an important part of energy efficiency. Once the filter begins to restrict the flow of air, the furnace must work harder to accomplish the same heating and cooling results.</p>
<p>To have a filter that is in a location that is easy to get to is very important for ongoing maintenance. It is also important that the cabinet or plenum that holds the filter is easy to open and close.</p>
<p>Since you have scheduled the installation of a new high efficiency heating source, talk to the Heating Contractor about the filter and addressing any concerns at the same time. A good contractor may even throw in a little filter work for free.</p>
<p><strong>Number Four - The Air Conditioner Heat Exchanger</strong></p>
<p>If you have a gas furnace with whole house air conditioning, you have a heat exchanger sitting in the furnace duct work somewhere that connects to the outside air conditioning unit. It would make sense to me to have this heat exchanger accessible like the filter is, but most often, the exchanger is hidden away behind inaccessible sheet metal.</p>
<p>The heat exchanger looks a little like the radiator on a car. Thin, closely mounted fins, transfer the cool temperature to the passing air. The problem is the small channels of the heat exchanger can become clogged and then restrict the air from passing through.</p>
<p>Similar to a clogged filter, when the heat exchanger becomes clogged, energy efficiency is reduced. The furnace ends up working harder and longer.</p>
<p>While the Contractor has the old furnace removed and the plenum opened up, be sure the heat exchanger gets cleaned. If your heating system is 20 years old, I will guarantee you the exchanger needs cleaning.</p>
<p>Getting the most out of your new high efficient furnace is important if you are going to realize the energy and cost savings that are possible. To insure the efficiency you’re looking for, before you fire up the new furnace, check these four system items that affect how the new furnace will perform.</p>
<ul>
<li>Check for heating duct leakage and seal up those leaks.</li>
<li>clean the air conditioner heat exchanger.</li>
<li>make adjustments to the filter and the filter cabinet.</li>
<li>add passages for return air that will balance the room pressure.</li>
</ul>
<p>In the home that I spoke of at the beginning of the article that is getting the 96% efficient gas furnace, the filter cabinet was turned 90 degrees to increase accessibility, the heat exchanger was cleaned, the heating ducts were tested and found that leakage-to-the-outside was less than 200 CFM, and a new return air register was installed in the ceiling of the family room addition. With the new efficient furnace ready, it is now time to start heating the house.</p>
<p>Thank you for stopping by Detect Energy, hope to see you again soon, but I won’t leave the light on for you...</p>
<p>More from Don Ames at <a href="http://www.detectenergy.com">www.detectenergy.com</a>, visit Detect Energy and register for my free eNewsletter, the Energy Spy Insider.</p>Home Energy Audit 111 Years Oldtag:homeenergypros.lbl.gov,2012-04-05:6069565:BlogPost:813462012-04-05T05:33:30.000ZDon Ameshttp://homeenergypros.lbl.gov/profile/DonAmes
<p>by Don Ames, <a href="http://www.detectenergy.com">www.detectenergy.com</a></p>
<p><br></br>I gathered up my auditing equipment and headed off to a neighboring community to perform a home energy audit that was constructed in 1901. Before I head out of the office and leave the comfort of my desk computer, I look up the home through County Records to determine about what year the home was constructed, about how big the home is, and if records show any remodel years.</p>
<p>When records indicate…</p>
<p>by Don Ames, <a href="http://www.detectenergy.com">www.detectenergy.com</a></p>
<p><br/>I gathered up my auditing equipment and headed off to a neighboring community to perform a home energy audit that was constructed in 1901. Before I head out of the office and leave the comfort of my desk computer, I look up the home through County Records to determine about what year the home was constructed, about how big the home is, and if records show any remodel years.</p>
<p>When records indicate construction in 1901, I know that I will be dealing with a very old home that has had some degree of care over the years or it wouldn't even be standing. I know that the home was originally heated with a wood fireplace or two and that some sort of up-dated heating source has been added. Also, I'm guessing if the foundation has not been replaced, the foundation is going to be a little shaky.</p>
<p><a href="http://detectenergy.com/2012/04/05/home-energy-audit-111-years-old/steele-3/" rel="attachment wp-att-15406"><img class="size-medium wp-image-15406" title="energy audit of home" src="http://detectenergy.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/steele1-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225"/></a></p>
<p>This home energy audit was a team effort. We took two vehicles, my partner would carry the equipment in one rig and I would meet him there in another rig. This way, since it is Friday afternoon, I can take a short cut home after the audit.</p>
<p>Why is it that I like my own unruly dog, but I don't have much use for other peoples unruly dog. After greeting the lady of the house and her 3 year old son at the front door, I have to fight my way into the house past the offensive nose of a big dog. I must have some real interesting smells on me, the dog won't let up.</p>
<p>About this time, the dog owner see's I'm being treated like a sniff-and-scratch and, with raised voice, commands the dog to get back and go lie down - which the dog pays no attention to and just goes right on vacuuming my denim.</p>
<p>The husband has taken off work early to be here during the home energy audit. The gentleman of the house arrives and my partner finally shows up with the equipment. The first order of business is to ask the homeowner to take us on a tour of the house.</p>
<p><br/><a href="http://detectenergy.com/2012/04/05/home-energy-audit-111-years-old/steele/" rel="attachment wp-att-15402"><img class="size-medium wp-image-15402" title="energy audit of home" src="http://detectenergy.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/steele-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225"/></a><br/>1. Remodel and additions:</p>
<p>The homeowner does not know for sure, but I suspect this home has been added onto twice. Looks like a back porch area was added as living space at some point and then an addition with a master bedroom and bath was added on behind the porch.</p>
<p>The whole interior of the house has under gone major upgrades. Standing in the kitchen on the wood laminate flooring, looking at the granite counter tops and all stainless steel appliances, one would not suspect this home has been here for 111 years.</p>
<p>The interior walls have been replaced with drywall and freshly painted. The exterior walls have been replaced with t1-11 and also freshly painted.</p>
<p>2. Electrical system:</p>
<p>The attic still has signs of the original knob and tube electrical wiring. Today, the electrical system has all been upgraded to romex wiring and a grounded, 200 amp circuit breaker panel. All electric outlets, light switches, and fixtures have been replaced.</p>
<p>3. Plumbing System:</p>
<p>Water fixtures and faucets have all been upgraded recently. The old iron pipes remain and seem to carry plenty of water pressure. A modern gas water heater sits in the utility room closet next to the furnace.</p>
<p><a href="http://detectenergy.com/2012/04/05/home-energy-audit-111-years-old/steele-8/" rel="attachment wp-att-15405"><img class="size-medium wp-image-15405" title="energy audit of home" src="http://detectenergy.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Steele-8-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225"/></a><br/>Metal Heating Ducts Wrapped in Asbestos</p>
<p><br/>4. Heating system:</p>
<p>In the old part of the house, both supply and return heating ducts are in the floor. In the master bedroom addition, both are in the ceiling. A 90% efficient gas furnace sits with the water heater in the utility room closet. There is no air conditioning.</p>
<p>5. Insulation:</p>
<p>The underfloor of the main house has black visqueen attached to the bottom of the floor joist. However, only about 50% of the floor has fiberglass batt insulation. The newer addition with the master bedroom and bath has no floor insulation.</p>
<p>R-13 batt insulation was added to the exterior walls when the exterior siding was replaced. The infrared camera tells me there is a few small areas that were missed.</p>
<p>The upstairs has two unfinished rooms - at least they are unfinished at this time and the roof trusses are exposed. The homeowner tells us that this was his bedroom when he was growing up. The homeowner is in the process of remodeling the upstairs and has removed all the interior wall covering. Insulation was never added to this part of the home.</p>
<p>6. Windows and Doors.</p>
<p>Doors and windows have been replaced. The front door is metal with 1/2 glass and a storm door. The utility room door is metal and the master bedroom has a vinyl framed, double glass, sliding door.</p>
<p>All the windows have been upgraded to vinyl framed, double glass units. I suspect U-35 with some Low-E glazing.</p>
<p><a href="http://detectenergy.com/2012/04/05/home-energy-audit-111-years-old/steele-6/" rel="attachment wp-att-15404"><img class="size-medium wp-image-15404" title="energy audit of home" src="http://detectenergy.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/steele-6-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225"/></a><br/>Inside Floor Joist Framed Heating Duct</p>
<p><br/>Homeowner Concerns and Wish List</p>
<p>The homeowner would like to use their available weatherization funds to help insulate the upstairs remodeling project. By using the funds to install the insulation, their remodeling budget can be spent on drywall and floor coverings.</p>
<p>Also of concern to the homeowners is the cool spots in the living room and the warm spot in the master bedroom. The living room has two supply registers located near interior walls and two return registers located under the living room windows. They find that there is noticeable cool air that comes out of the return registers, so they have placed the dogs sleeping mat over on of them and a fluffy pillow over the other.</p>
<p>Because of the cool air that rises from the return registers, they have effectively closed them off. The only working return air register is in the master bedroom. I asked them why the return air grill in the ceiling of the bedroom was dented and was informed that the register would rattle when the furnace was on so he struck it with his hand until it stopped rattling.</p>
<p>The Blower Door and Air Infiltration</p>
<p>1. First blower door test is with all interior doors open.</p>
<p>Blower door was set up in the front door opening and the house was prepared for the test. With all interior doors open, the air leakage was 4,100 CFM ( cubic feet per minute ). I believe for this home, this represents around 9 air changes per hour.</p>
<p>2. Second test is with the door at the top of the stairs taped off. This takes the upstairs air leakage out of the equation. However, there is leakage from the recessed lights in the kitchen, bathroom, and hallway which means the downstairs is still connected, air leakage wise, to the upstairs. Second leakage test was 3,200 CFM.</p>
<p>3. Third test was done after the ducts were taped off in preparation for the duct blaster. This should eliminate duct leakage from the overall house air leakage figure - this reduced the house leakage to 2,300 CFM.</p>
<p>By eliminating both the upstairs and the heating ducts from the air leakage, the home is at about 4.5 air changes per hour.</p>
<p><a href="http://detectenergy.com/2012/04/05/home-energy-audit-111-years-old/steele-2-2/" rel="attachment wp-att-15403"><img class="size-medium wp-image-15403" title="energy audit of home" src="http://detectenergy.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/steele-21-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225"/></a><br/>Lift the Register, See the Hole</p>
<p><br/>The Duct Blaster and Heating Duct Leakage</p>
<p>The duct blaster fan is placed over one of the return air grills in the living room and the rest of the supply and return registers are taped off. The fan is cranked up and air is forced into the ducts. In this case, air leaks out of the ducts as fast as the fan can put air in. The ducts are so leaky, no reading is possible.</p>
<p>More About This Home Energy Audit and Heating Ducts</p>
<p>A sign of things to come was visible while we were taping of the return air registers in the living room. The return air ducts were formed by attaching sheet metal to the bottom of the floor joists. By removing the register, you can see that the metal has become very rusty and has rusted through. I can look through the rusty hole and see the crawl space below. No wonder the duct leakage is so much.</p>
<p>There is decent head room in the crawl space. In the normal confusion of leaving the office, I have forgotten my coveralls, boots, masks, and head light. Oh well, the show must go on - at least I have a flashlight.</p>
<p>The heating ducts under the old part of the house.</p>
<p>1. The return air ducts.</p>
<p>As I mentioned earlier, the return ducts are formed by attaching sheet metal to the bottom of a couple floor joist. In several places, I can see where time and rust has caused the sheet metal to fail leaving very noticeable holes. The largest holes are directly under the floor registers.</p>
<p>2. The supply heating ducts.</p>
<p>The supply ducts are 6 inch round metal ducts wrapped in asbestos. They attach to a central metal plenum that is located directly under the furnace.</p>
<p><a href="http://detectenergy.com/2012/04/05/home-energy-audit-111-years-old/steele-2/" rel="attachment wp-att-15401"><img class="size-medium wp-image-15401" title="energy audit of home" src="http://detectenergy.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/steele-2-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225"/></a><br/>Need to Insulate Roof Rafters</p>
<p><br/>How to decide on the best energy saving measures.</p>
<p>As we begin to remove the tape from the registers and put away the blower door, my partner and I begin to discuss with the homeowner how can you conserve energy in this 111 year old home.</p>
<p>It is always a discussion that centers on the several factors.</p>
<p>1. What is the most cost-effective energy saving measure?</p>
<p>2. How much money is available to spend on energy saving measures right now and how much might be available in the future?</p>
<p>3. Which energy saving measures need to be done by a contractor and what can be a do-it-yourself project?</p>
<p>4. Are any of the energy saving measure directly or indirectly connected to home safety.</p>
<p>5. Are some energy saving measures more connected to home comfort than others?</p>
<p>What should be done to save energy as a result of this home energy audit?</p>
<p>The audit of this home has provided valuable information concerning what needs to be done with this home to save energy. Without the audit and the data provided by the blower door and the duct blaster, the acute failure of the heating duct system would not of been realized by the homeowner.</p>
<p>1. Uncover return air supply registers:</p>
<p>Do not cover the two return air registers in the living room. This restricts the flow of air back to the furnace and causes the air flow to be out of balance. In affect, the furnace is starving for air which increases the energy needed to heat the home. No cost associated with removing the doggie bed from the top of the register.</p>
<p>2. Air seal heating supply and return plenum:</p>
<p>From underneath the home, open up the heating plenum that is under the furnace and air seal all connections and joints with duct mastic. Mastic, gloves and labor, $65</p>
<p>3. Install a new return air register and duct:</p>
<p>Increase the size of the supply register that is located next to the interior wall in the living room and make it a larger return air register. Connect this register to the return air plenum connected to the furnace.Now the return air register is located in the center of the home. Estimated cost $300</p>
<p><a href="http://detectenergy.com/2012/04/05/home-energy-audit-111-years-old/steele-4/" rel="attachment wp-att-15408"><img class="size-medium wp-image-15408" title="energy audit of home" src="http://detectenergy.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/steele2-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225"/></a><br/>Underfloor, Visqueen &amp; Heating Duct</p>
<p><br/>4. Install two new supply registers:</p>
<p>The two return air registers that are located under the windows need to be connected as supply registers. To keep from cutting new holes in the floor, have a sheet metal contractor build two new supply boots to be placed in the current floor cutouts. Connect these new boots to the supply plenum that is located at the furnace. Estimated cost $600</p>
<p>5. Replace all supply ducts in the old part of the home.</p>
<p>Carefully remove and bag the asbestos covering that is around the old metal ducts. I believe the homeowner can do this himself, otherwise a licensed Asbestos Remediation Contractor will need to be used. Need to check your local jurisdiction concerning the procedures for removing asbestos.</p>
<p>Replace all old metal supply ducts with new duct material. Flex duct is good and so is appropriately air sealed metal ducts. If using round metal ducts, wrap with insulation according to local building codes. Estimated cost $800</p>
<p>6. Insulate the attic.</p>
<p>Install a 2x2 furring strip to the exposed 2x4 roof rafters. This will increase the depth of the rafter space and allow for the installation of high density fiberglass R-21 insulation batts. Before installing the insulation, air seal the cavities.</p>
<p>If funds are available, this is an ideal application for using spray foam insulation.</p>
<p>Estimated cost with fiberglass, including 2x2 furring, $1,800. Estimated cost using spray foam, $4,000.</p>
<p>7. Insulate the floor.</p>
<p>Remove the black visqueen from the bottom of the floor joists. Air seal the floor with insulating spray foam. Install high density R-25 fiberglass batts. Install an air barrier to the bottom of the floor joists like Typar or Tyvek house wrap.</p>
<p>Thanks for coming along on this home energy audit that is 111 years old. Please feel free to leave a comment or two concerning your thoughts on the success of this audit. Drop by Detect Energy again real soon, but I won't leave the light on for you...</p>
<p>More from Don Ames and Detect Energy at <a href="http://www.detectenergy.com">www.detectenergy.com</a></p>Energy Audit And Energy Saving Measures For A Big Hometag:homeenergypros.lbl.gov,2012-03-18:6069565:BlogPost:804112012-03-18T17:20:42.000ZDon Ameshttp://homeenergypros.lbl.gov/profile/DonAmes
<h2>The Energy Audit is Complete: The Homeowner Chooses These Energy Saving Improvements</h2>
<p>by Don Ames, <a href="http://www.detectenergy.com">www.detectenergy.com</a></p>
<p>Now that the 5 year old has put down the foam dart gun and stopped crawling in and out of the blower door, it's time to make some energy saving recommendations to the homeowner. After completing an energy audit of the home, it is usually fairly easy to start the conversation with the owners on what they should…</p>
<h2>The Energy Audit is Complete: The Homeowner Chooses These Energy Saving Improvements</h2>
<p>by Don Ames, <a href="http://www.detectenergy.com">www.detectenergy.com</a></p>
<p>Now that the 5 year old has put down the foam dart gun and stopped crawling in and out of the blower door, it's time to make some energy saving recommendations to the homeowner. After completing an energy audit of the home, it is usually fairly easy to start the conversation with the owners on what they should consider doing to save energy, the conversation usually starts with me saying something like, "First you need to air seal and add insulation to the ceiling."</p>
<p>Most homeowners that decide to get a home energy audit are in possession of an outlandish power bill. The thing that prompted them to get the audit in the first place was the near heart attack after seeing last months power bill. After all, the pocket book and the blood pressure can only stand so much.</p>
<p>But, what can be done to a home that doesn't need ceiling insulation and the last power bill did not cause a trip to the ER. In this homes case, the February electrical usage was about 1,400 kWh ( $140 including heating with two 10 SEER heat pumps ) and the gas usage was 15 therms ( $40 from one free-standing gas stove ).</p>
<div class="mceTemp"><dl id="attachment_18283" class="wp-caption alignright">
<dt class="wp-caption-dt"><a href="http://detectenergy.com/home-audit-lifestyle/energy-audit-saving-measures-big-home/attachment/dryer-3/" rel="attachment wp-att-18283"><img class="size-full wp-image-18283" title="energy audit" src="http://detectenergy.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/dryer-3.jpg" alt="" width="194" height="259"/></a></dt>
<dd class="wp-caption-dd">Delivered by Wagon Train</dd>
</dl>
</div>
<p>For those of you that are interested in additional data from the audit, let me add:</p>
<p>1. that the home has 3,800 sq. ft. of living space.</p>
<p>2. was constructed in the late 90's.</p>
<p>3. had a blower door leakage figure of 2,600 CFM.</p>
<p>4. the duct leakage was 242 CFM to the outside.</p>
<p>5. The hot water temperature is 127 degrees.</p>
<p>If you are reading this and want to know more what this means, please leave a comment at the end of the blog post.</p>
<h3>The homeowner has a gift of $3,500 and wants to know where to spend the money to save energy.</h3>
<p>The husband was not home, so I wrote down about 11 possible energy saving suggestions and asked them to talk it over and let me know what they would like to do.</p>
<h4>Here's the big eleven:</h4>
<p>1. Upgrade the both heat pumps to 14 SEER or better. ( this alone would cost more than $3,500 )</p>
<p>2. Seal the heating ducts. ( attempt to get the leakage reduced by 50% or more. With such a big house, this might be a difficult task. )</p>
<p>3. Install programmable thermostats. ( believe it or not, this home does not have programmable thermostats already )</p>
<p>4. Reset two back doors and repair weatherstripping. ( back door thresholds set too low, door sweep rubs on carpet which wears out the carpet and the door sweep )</p>
<div class="mceTemp"><dl id="attachment_18286" class="wp-caption alignright">
<dt class="wp-caption-dt"><a href="http://detectenergy.com/home-audit-lifestyle/energy-audit-saving-measures-big-home/attachment/air-space-2/" rel="attachment wp-att-18286"><img class="size-medium wp-image-18286" title="energy audit" src="http://detectenergy.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Air-space1-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225"/></a></dt>
<dd class="wp-caption-dd">Air Space Between Insulation and Floor Reduces the Effectiveness of the Insulation</dd>
</dl>
</div>
<p>5. Add insulation to the floor. ( There is R-25 in the floor already, but it sits on the supporting string attached to the bottom of 10 inch I-joists leaving a 4 inch air space between the insulation and the floor )</p>
<p>6. Clean heat exchangers and add air filters. ( the heat exchangers from the heat pumps in the air handlers are really dirty, seems the heating system has been running without furnace air filters for some time )</p>
<p>7. Air seal recessed lights in kitchen, dining room, and hallway and replace incandescent bulbs with CFL or LED. ( might need to replace the recessed light cans to accomplish this. I don't care how tight the home is, I can't stand recessed lights that act like chimney's to the attic )</p>
<p>8. Replace the washer and dryer. ( These two appliances were inherited from her father, or was it grandfather? The only good thing to say about them is they have run for a long, long time. Recommend a dryer with a moisture sensor )</p>
<p>9. Clean and repair the dryer duct. ( homeowner indicates she routinely runs the dryer through two cycles to get the clothes dry. I can see that the vinyl flex duct behind the dryer is crimped and the exterior exhaust hood is broken and plugged with lint )</p>
<p>10. Install timer switches on bathroom and utility room ceiling exhaust fans. ( This helps remind people to turn on the fans and ensures that the fans can run long enough to remove moisture from the room, but not be forgotten and run all night )</p>
<p>11. Install a hot water circulating pump. ( it takes forever to get hot water from the water heater in the basement to the two bathrooms upstairs. The pump will save both water and electricity. Install with timer on/off switch on the pump. Turnoff at night and when not at home. )</p>
<div class="mceTemp"><dl id="attachment_18282" class="wp-caption alignright">
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<dd class="wp-caption-dd">10 SEER Heat Pump Could Use Upgrading to More Efficient Model</dd>
</dl>
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<p>It would be nice to take all the money the nation spends on looking for more oil under miles of sea water and put it into home energy saving measures. It is true, the cheapest and best energy we have is the energy we don't need or use. It would be nice to retrofit this home to net-zero energy and then send British Petroleum the bill.</p>
<h3>Selected Energy Saving Measures</h3>
<p>After a few days, I received an email from the homeowners that listed their thoughts on energy saving work for their home. I thought they did a pretty good job of addressing needed measures and spending their dollars wisely.</p>
<h4>1. Replace damaged door:</h4>
<p>They choose to have one of the back doors replaced and the threshold raised. This is a door they use often. They would like to include a storm door with this work. There were signs that rain had gotten past the door and there may also be some moisture damage to the door casing. A good storm door adds weatherization and protects the door behind it. $1,200.00</p>
<h4>2. Service heating system and add air filters:</h4>
<p>It is recommended by the HVAC industry that heating equipment be cleaned and serviced yearly. I suspect this system has not been touched in 15 years. The heat exchangers will be cleaned and appropriate air filters added. I remain concerned about the life expectancy of the heat pumps. $600.00</p>
<h4>3. Up-grade washer and dryer:</h4>
<p>It appears, as a result of the economy, a few family members maybe moving back home. The amount of laundry is about ready to double. New washer and dryer, $1,400</p>
<div class="mceTemp"><dl id="attachment_18287" class="wp-caption alignright">
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<dd class="wp-caption-dd">Lint Build Up In Flexible Dryer Duct</dd>
</dl>
</div>
<h4>4. Clean and repair dryer duct:</h4>
<p>There is no use getting a new dryer with an automatic shut off connected to a moisture sensor, if the hot moist air can't get out the exhaust duct. No more flex duct - change to hard pipe. Clean the inside of the duct and install a new exhaust hood. $300.00</p>
<p>It would appear to me that these homeowners have done a pretty good job in addressing needed energy saving measures. Each item has a good record at decreasing energy use.</p>
<p>I will look forward to returning to this home someday, dodging a few more foam darts, and speaking to the homeowners about the results of their energy saving retrofits and repairs. My guess is the old power bill will be a little lower and the home a little more comfortable.</p>
<p>Thank you for stopping by Detect Energy, hope to see you again real soon, but I won't leave the light on for you...</p>Where to Look For Construction Flaws and Energy Wastetag:homeenergypros.lbl.gov,2012-01-06:6069565:BlogPost:736222012-01-06T04:30:00.000ZDon Ameshttp://homeenergypros.lbl.gov/profile/DonAmes
<h2><span class="font-size-2">by Don Ames, <a href="http://www.detectenergy.com">www.detectenergy.com</a></span></h2>
<p>Construction flaws waste energy, reduce comfort, and encourage building deterioration. A little knowledge about construction methods can help you locate and correct these flaws. Let's face it, homes were not created equal, homes are the result of a hundred hands belonging to fifty different people that will never live in the house, but, never-the-less, have great influence…</p>
<h2><span class="font-size-2">by Don Ames, <a href="http://www.detectenergy.com">www.detectenergy.com</a></span></h2>
<p>Construction flaws waste energy, reduce comfort, and encourage building deterioration. A little knowledge about construction methods can help you locate and correct these flaws. Let's face it, homes were not created equal, homes are the result of a hundred hands belonging to fifty different people that will never live in the house, but, never-the-less, have great influence on the final product and the final energy efficiency rating.</p>
<p>It's not only contractors that account for building flaws, but also the professionals with degrees hanging on office walls. The contractor that actually pulls the wires, hammers the nails, and sets the furnace has many opportunities to mess up a home. But the professional architect with the architectural design and the Engineer with the structural calculations can also sabotage the energy integrity of a home. Along the way, there is just too many opportunities for Construction Flaws that result in energy waste.</p>
<p>After the professionals and contractors are done providing their own personal energy flaws, the building materials take over and provide their own brand of energy waste.</p>
<p>All building materials have different thermal characteristics:</p>
<p>1. Metals, like aluminium conduct heat rapidly.</p>
<p>2. Insulation conducts heat slowly, like fiberglass and plastic foam.</p>
<p>3. Wood, masonry, and plastic are medium rate conductors of heat.</p>
<div class="mceTemp"><dl id="attachment_16105" class="wp-caption alignright">
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<dd class="wp-caption-dd">Plain Box Home</dd>
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<p>The simplest homes to build are often the most energy efficient. They are just large six sided rectangular boxes. The building shell has six components - four walls, one ceiling, and one floor. In this type of square or rectangular construction, there are few things to go wrong. The architect has a simpler job and so does the plumber, etc. When it comes to an energy audit, the auditor has a simpler time assessing a nice square box.</p>
<p>Each component of a home - walls, ceiling and floor - usually has two layers with a space in between the two layers. As an example, a wall has an exterior siding layer and an interior drywall layer with a space between the two. The ceiling has the flat ceiling of drywall and the roof with the shingles or metal. The space between the layers is usually reserved for insulation.</p>
<p>The building shell has seams and connections that include edges, corners, and openings that are thermal weak points within the home. These thermal weak points contain heat conductive materials, broken air barriers, leaky joints, open holes and missing insulation.</p>
<p>Penetrations through insulation and air barriers are major flaws concerning energy conservation. These penetrations are provided courtesy of the builder, electrician, plumber, and HVAC Contractors. Here again, the contractor is not planning on living in the home, only planning on getting their work done and moving on to the next home.</p>
<p>An irregular shaped home has additional corners, seams, and areas where the air barrier and insulation is not continuous. Irregular areas include bay windows, dormers, porches, pop outs, second story decks, recessed entrances, doors, and windows. Building shell irregularities can allow air leakage through the building shell and allow air convection currents within the building cavities.</p>
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<dd class="wp-caption-dd">Dormers Are Wasters</dd>
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<h3>Some favorite home energy flaws:</h3>
<p>It is in these areas where energy saving efforts should be focused.</p>
<h4>1. Shafts containing chimneys and pipes.</h4>
<p>This is particularly a problem in two story homes. Too often the shaft or chimney chase is not sealed to the adjoining ceiling or floor. Penetrations are not sealed completely. Air can rise from the basement to the attic and back again.</p>
<h4>2. Roof Overhangs.</h4>
<p>Roof overhangs can provide an irregularity in both the wall and the adjoining roof. Look for thermal barrier and air leakage problems here.</p>
<h4>3. Crawlspaces and basements that connect the home to the outdoors.</h4>
<p>Rim joist construction can provide the irregularity that results in air leakage and thermal breaks.</p>
<h4>4. Suspended ceilings between floors and cabinet soffits.</h4>
<p>These are irregular framing designs that are prone to leave unsealed connections between the indoor space and the attic. It takes a conscientious builder to address these problem areas during construction.</p>
<h4>5. Concentrations of plumbing pipes or electrical wires.</h4>
<p>Get a number of plumbing pipes or electrical wires running through a wall in the same location and the contractor is liable to cut a much larger hole than really needed. Does the contractor return and air seal the hole? Probably not.</p>
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<dt class="wp-caption-dt"><a href="http://detectenergy.com/power-saving-tips-methods/homes-energy-waste/attachment/chimney/" rel="attachment wp-att-16103"><img class="size-full wp-image-16103" title="Homes and energy waste" src="http://detectenergy.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/chimney.jpg" alt="" width="194" height="259"/></a></dt>
<dd class="wp-caption-dd">Chimney Chase</dd>
</dl>
</div>
<h4>6. Building cavities used as heating ducts.</h4>
<p>It's faster and less expensive for the heating contractor to use a wall or floor joist space as a heating duct. Problem with this type of heating duct is the fact that the duct usually ends up in a place that leaks air to the great outdoors.</p>
<p>Recognizing construction methods allows you to concentrate energy saving retrofit's on areas of your home most likely to contain building flaws that waste energy. So, if you live in a super cute home that is cut up like a tree house designed by Dr. Suess, there is a real good chance you are paying for your cutie with excessive energy waste.</p>
<p>This is the place for a trained and experience home energy auditor. A simple square box of a home may not offer the challenge required for the pro to keep inspired and sharp on the job. So, if your having a hard time keeping up with the power bill and you don't know a chase heating duct from a cabinet soffit, give your power company a call and ask them for the contact information on a home energy auditor.</p>
<p>Thank you for stopping by Detect Energy, please come back soon, but I won't leave the light on for you...</p>
<p>More from Don Ames and Detect Energy at <a href="http://www.detectenergy.com">www.detectenergy.com</a> including the FREE eNewsletter, the Energy Spy Insider</p>Energy Efficient House: Common Sense Guidelinestag:homeenergypros.lbl.gov,2011-12-16:6069565:BlogPost:715942011-12-16T20:29:10.000ZDon Ameshttp://homeenergypros.lbl.gov/profile/DonAmes
<h2>Energy Efficient House: Common Sense Guidelines to Energy Conservation.</h2>
<p>by Don Ames, <a href="http://www.detectenergy.com">www.detectenergy.com</a> The security of home energy conservation and the Energy Spy Insider.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Think of the ways we try to separate the outside climate from the inside climate. In a nut shell, that is the goal of an <strong>energy efficient house</strong>. Take a snowmobile or a dog sled and you will see a domed home made out of snow and ice.…</p>
<h2>Energy Efficient House: Common Sense Guidelines to Energy Conservation.</h2>
<p>by Don Ames, <a href="http://www.detectenergy.com">www.detectenergy.com</a> The security of home energy conservation and the Energy Spy Insider.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Think of the ways we try to separate the outside climate from the inside climate. In a nut shell, that is the goal of an <strong>energy efficient house</strong>. Take a snowmobile or a dog sled and you will see a domed home made out of snow and ice. Grab a camel ride and get sand in your shoes and you may spent the night in a home that is made of camel hide. But, enough with the " make-do-with-what-you-have" society, we live in a society that has been to the moon and back, so let's add a little Physics and common sense to the effort of coming home to an <em>energy efficient house</em>.</p>
<p>One interesting insight is the fact that the people that live in igloos and hide huts use far less energy than we do - they are already energy efficient. It seems, that since we have progressed to an advanced society, we have increasingly become extreme energy consumers. We had better find a way to dwell in a more energy efficient house before the seal and hide hunters only have polluted air and bare landscapes in which to live in.</p>
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<dd class="wp-caption-dd">House Plans</dd>
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<h3>Building Construction: Reduce heating and cooling needs.</h3>
<p>In all new construction, the building codes are progressively asking for a more efficient house. The effort to provide a better home shell with increased performance is underway, just like it has been for a hundred years. Every builder knows that they may have a leg up on the competition by building a better home.</p>
<p>New homes are designed to maximize heat retention during the winter and minimize <a title="energy efficient house" href="http://www.srpnet.com/energy/loseheat.aspx" target="_blank">heat gain</a> during the summer. Three areas of new home construction are vitally important.</p>
<h3>Energy Efficient Design:</h3>
<p>I know you have some very neat features and design ideas that you have been saving up for years. Finally, you are in a position to build your very own home. The problem is, gas is now $3.80 a gallon, electricity is 14 cent a kilowatt, and natural gas is $1.10 per therm. Before you put the final touches on that cool bay window or that classy vaulted ceiling, better take a quick course in <a title="energy efficient house" href="http://www.energy-design-tools.aud.ucla.edu/heed/" target="_blank">energy efficient design.</a></p>
<h3>Site Planning:</h3>
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<dd class="wp-caption-dd">Floor Insulation</dd>
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<p>Even the Mongolian sheep herder takes this into consideration. What is the best location for the home on the property. How do hills, trees, other homes, and the passing sun affect the otherwise energy efficient house. Which windows are facing South and where are you going to put the solar thermal and solar electric panels? Site planning means you will be able to take advantage of the environments ability to help you heat and cool your home.</p>
<h3>Construction and the placement of the building materials:</h3>
<p>You get what you pay for. When you hire a contractor to build your home and the fellow the is willing to park his travel trailer on site and build your home for the half the cost of any other builder, he may not be the best person to correctly install the energy efficient measures that will affect your home for years to come.</p>
<p>You might ask yourself, "how hard can it be to install insulation?" What you should be asking yourself is, "how hard can it be to install insulation incorrectly?"</p>
<p>Whether you live in Macon or Fairbanks, an energy efficient house must have an A-plus thermal barrier. The thermal barrier is made up of the air barrier and the insulation barrier and they should be touching each other on the same plane. Get this wrong and your power bill will remind you every month that the guy in the travel trailer was not the best deal.</p>
<h4>What About Existing Homes?:</h4>
<p>The process for an energy efficient house is a little different if the house was built in 1975. In this case, the first step is like going to the Doctor - The Doctor know, let him or her diagnose the problem and the best course of action.</p>
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<dd class="wp-caption-dd">Attic Insulation</dd>
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<h4>Diagnosis and The Energy Auditor:</h4>
<p><a title="energy efficient house" href="www.buildingscience.com/" target="_blank">Building Science</a> has progressed to the place that students of energy education are finding great courses to further their expertise. Armed with classroom studies and high tech working tools, these new age energy auditors know a wasted therm when they see one. Available now throughout the country, contact your power company to get a list of the good ones.</p>
<h4>Cost, Projections, Retrofits:</h4>
<p>The energy auditor will be able to help you with this one. What is the best cost-effective measure for your home, how much will it cost and how much should you be able to save.</p>
<h4>Weatherization:</h4>
<p>If your doing something to an existing home that will save energy, it's called weatherization. If the side of the work van says, "Weatherization Specialist", that's the guy you want.</p>
<p>The Weatherization Specialist will know where the insulation is needed, how to get it there, and how to install it correctly. They will also know how to operate a caulk gun and a can of spray foam insulation.</p>
<h4>Do-It-Yourself, ( DIY )</h4>
<p>In all this <strong>energy efficient house</strong> stuff I have been talking about, I hope I have not presented it in a way that discourages you from being your own energy auditor, architect, or weatherization expert. I confirm that you can gain the knowledge needed to successfully identify the problems in your homes thermal barrier and to design a home that reduces energy consumption. All it really takes is two parts inspiration, one part common sense and an unbearable power bill.</p>
<p>Thank you for stopping by Detect Energy, please come back soon, but I won't leave the light on for you...</p>
<p>More from Don Ames and Detect Energy at <a href="http://www.detectenergy.com">www.detectenergy.com</a> - visit to register for my free eNewsletter, the Energy Spy Insider.</p>
<p></p>
<p></p>An Energy Auditors Professional Missiontag:homeenergypros.lbl.gov,2011-10-19:6069565:BlogPost:633432011-10-19T05:00:00.000ZDon Ameshttp://homeenergypros.lbl.gov/profile/DonAmes
<h2>Energy Auditors: A Professional on a Mission to Save Energy</h2>
<p>by Don Ames, <a href="http://www.detectenergy.com">www.detectenergy.com</a>, </p>
<p>Hopefully, most people that become Doctors, want to be Doctors. If someone is going to go digging around in my belly, I want them to enjoy what they're doing and not wish they were out leading a group of fisherman on a flounder trip.</p>
<p>I feel the same way about <strong>Energy Auditors</strong>, anyone that is going to test my…</p>
<h2>Energy Auditors: A Professional on a Mission to Save Energy</h2>
<p>by Don Ames, <a href="http://www.detectenergy.com">www.detectenergy.com</a>, </p>
<p>Hopefully, most people that become Doctors, want to be Doctors. If someone is going to go digging around in my belly, I want them to enjoy what they're doing and not wish they were out leading a group of fisherman on a flounder trip.</p>
<p>I feel the same way about <strong>Energy Auditors</strong>, anyone that is going to test my furnace for <a title="energy auditors" href="http://www.cdc.gov/co/" target="_blank">killer gases</a> and inefficiency, better like what they're doing. I don't want an auditor dreaming about moonlighting as a massage therapist and missing the big hole in my heating duct. An auditor that shows up at the door with a baby blue company shirt that has a professional logo on the chest that says RESNET ( or something similar ), a clip board, and a ladder, should be qualified and hopefully enjoy finding energy savings opportunities and areas of energy waste.</p>
<p>A good auditor will have the ability to talk the walk, test everything in sight and measure everything not in sight. With a number of tools ( that you have never seen before ) with names like monometer and<a title="energy auditors" href="http://www.bacharach-inc.com/fyrite-pro.htm" target="_blank"> fyrite-pro</a>, he or she will be able to tell you the difference in air pressure in pascals, the presence of CO in parts per million and the size of an air leak in cubic feet per minute. And when all the data is collected and recorded, the auditor has the ability, and the pure joy, of telling you exactly why your heat pump freezes, your ducts suck, and your power bill is dragging you to the poor house.</p>
<h3>Variety of License and Certificates:</h3>
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<dt class="wp-caption-dt"><a href="http://detectenergy.com/home-audit-lifestyle/energy-auditors-professional-mission/attachment/resnet/" rel="attachment wp-att-13973"><img class="size-medium wp-image-13973" title="energy auditors" src="http://detectenergy.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/resnet-300x165.jpg" height="165" width="300"/></a></dt>
<dd class="wp-caption-dd">RESNET</dd>
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</div>
<p>Several nationwide companies have developed training and certification programs that offer recognition for residential energy auditors. RESNET ( Residential Energy Services Network ) was established in 1995 by the National Association of State Energy Officials to develop the standard for a home energy rating system.</p>
<p>The other main auditor training program is BPI ( Building Performance Institute ). Along with these two programs, RESNET and BPI, many State and local agencies will offer home performance training of their own design that concludes with a certificate and the knowledge of how to operate and test with the specialized equipment available to an inspector.</p>
<p>Two year degrees are offered at a number of Colleges in building performance and offer a more in-depth and wide knowledge base than is offered by the 3 or 4 week RESNET courses. If a auditor is really going to get serious about saving energy and want the big bucks available by performing energy audits on high rise office buildings and manufacturing plants, than a four year degree is needed in the field of energy engineering. I am doubtful that you or I will see a true Energy Engineer on our front porch with a smoke stick and an infrared camera, but one never really knows.</p>
<h3>Energy Efficient Retrofits and Cost Effective Calculations:</h3>
<p>The main reason for performing an energy audit on a home is to prioritize a list of energy efficient retrofits and to establish the associated cost effectiveness or payback period. An auditor will test and collect data in an effort to discover where the most energy can be saved and which retrofits will save you the most money - and do it with the least amount of financial investment.</p>
<p>Here are a few more things that an auditor will be able to complete during an energy audit.</p>
<ul>
<li>Evaluate each major appliance for rate of energy consumption. You and I can spot an old energy hog refrigerator a mile away, but the energy auditor will be able to add type, size,condition, modified energy factor, and yearly kilowatt hours used to the deal.</li>
<li>Recommend appropriate energy conservation measures along with associated maintenance procedures. Just because you install a new furnace doesn't mean you don't need to know how and when to clean or replace the furnace filter.</li>
<li>Estimate labor and material costs on retrofit projects. Just how much will it cost to replace the metal framed, single pane, obscure glass, single hung window in the bathroom with a new vinyl framed, double glazed, low-E, U-30 window considering the 8" hardiplank lap siding and the brickmoulding trim?</li>
<li>Project the monthly savings expected from a particular energy retrofit. How many kilowatt hours of electricity will be save if R-25 insulation is installed in an underfloor that has no insulation?</li>
<li>Point out, avoid, and mediate potential health and safety problems. You know, it's not really a good idea to have an old gas fired water heater in your master bedroom closet.</li>
<li>The energy auditor will be able to instruct the household on behavior that wastes energy, like running around the house in a bikini in January with the thermostat set on 82 degrees. This behavior might remind you of your vacation in Hawaii, but at the end of the month, the power bill will remind you of the advantage of wool sweaters and thermal socks.</li>
</ul>
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<dd class="wp-caption-dd">energy inspection</dd>
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<h3>Quality Assurance Inspections:</h3>
<p>You will be amazed at the number of residential energy auditors that have home construction experience. Not only do they know how to test for air leakage, but they know how the wall was constructed in the first place. A good energy auditor will not conclude his contribution to your homes energy saving retrofits by handing you a piece of paper with a list of recommendations, but he will follow up on the retrofit process and see that the work is done correctly. Let's face it, an insulation worker that is paid by the square foot and is one week removed from a bungalow in a neighboring country, may not be interested in the highest degree of work quality and performance.</p>
<h3>Some follow-up qualities of a home energy auditor are:</h3>
<ul>
<li>Inspect the project near completion to check for quality work.</li>
<li>Verify compliance with the work specifications and see that all work that was scheduled to be done actually got completed.</li>
<li>Provide some directions and feedback on performance to contractor supervisors.</li>
<li>Provide detailed procedure for correcting any work that was not completed satisfactorily.</li>
<li>Emphasize to the residents the importance of continuing and regular maintenance and some TLC.</li>
<li>Arrange for and schedule future monitoring or maintenance when appropriate.</li>
</ul>
<div>When you have the energy auditor standing on your front steps and you have approved the patch on his work shirt as being professionally designed and recognizable as a trust worthy organization, the first question you should ask is this, " What is your mission?"</div>
<div>You might ask, "Why are you here?", but that could lead to the honest response of, "for the money!" So, let's take a look at some of the heart-felt ideals that separate Energy Auditors from flounder fisherman, surgeons and massage therapists.</div>
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<h3>Energy Auditors Mission Statement:</h3>
<p>The bottom line is simply -<strong> to conserve energy and save mone</strong>y - do just that and most homeowners will be tickled pink.</p>
<p>This one is a little more reminiscent of a die-hard tree hugger, <strong>protect the environment by reducing harmful by-products</strong>. The by-products we are talking about here are mostly carbon based. When you use more energy than you really need, you cause ridiculous amounts of carbon to be released to the atmosphere.</p>
<p>I like this one and there are no tree huggers insight, <strong>increase home comfort.</strong> The first indicator of a successful energy saving retrofit is this -<strong>the home is more comfortable</strong>. The home is warmer, less drafty and quieter.</p>
<p>One of the most important mission statement items involves<strong> basic health and safety</strong>. For this one, the physician and auditor have something in common. <strong>Whatever you do, do no harm</strong>. An auditor is trained in combustion appliance safety, mold and mildew remediation, indoor air quality, ventilation, lead paint hazards and asbestos dangers.</p>
<p><strong>Be a resource for the residents</strong> concerning energy products, conservation procedures, and lifestyle contributions. An energy auditor will leave the household a little wiser about all things that effect home energy savings. I trust most auditors learned the benefits of sharing in kindergarten.</p>
<p>When you step up to the cashier at the grocery store, you may have a person ring up your purchase that really does not care to be there. Running a cash register for your toothpaste and potato chips was not in his or her original career plans. Tell the waitress to take the steak back to the kitchen and ask the chef to cook it like you wanted and you'd better be careful, the chef maybe a college student working his way through school and he really doesn't care if you like the steak or not.</p>
<p>There is a pretty fair chance that the man on your porch with the cool patch on his shirt wants to be there and is determined to save energy because he or she simply believes in it, loves it, and lives it. Saving energy is a passion, a calling, like an emergency rrom doctor. With home energy auditors, living up to a mission statement comes naturally.</p>
<p>Thanks for stopping by Detect Energy, hope you come back soon, but I won't leave the light on for you...</p>
<p>Don is your host at <a href="http://www.detectenergy.com">www.detectenergy.com</a> and the publisher of the Energy Spy Insider.</p>
<p>Resource, Residential Energy, John Krigger</p>How to Talk to a Buildertag:homeenergypros.lbl.gov,2011-01-21:6069565:BlogPost:103742011-01-21T03:07:11.000ZAllison A. Bailes IIIhttp://homeenergypros.lbl.gov/profile/AllisonABailesIII
<p>Recently I was talking to one of our HERS raters who said that one of the reasons he prefers going after the existing home market is that he’s more comfortable talking with homeowners than with builders. He’s afraid that builders will see his lack of construction knowledge and send him packing.</p>
<p>What can you do to overcome this fear? Take heed of these points, and you’ll be fine:</p>
<ul>
<li>Realize that you don’t need to know everything about building.</li>
<li>Let the builder know…</li>
</ul>
<p>Recently I was talking to one of our HERS raters who said that one of the reasons he prefers going after the existing home market is that he’s more comfortable talking with homeowners than with builders. He’s afraid that builders will see his lack of construction knowledge and send him packing.</p>
<p>What can you do to overcome this fear? Take heed of these points, and you’ll be fine:</p>
<ul>
<li>Realize that you don’t need to know everything about building.</li>
<li>Let the builder know that you have limited construction experience, if appropriate.</li>
<li>Become an expert at home energy ratings.</li>
<li>Learn as much as you can about construction by reading, volunteering with Habitat for Humanity, and visiting job sites.</li>
</ul>
<p>Now, let’s go into these points, one by one.</p>
<p>First, realize that builders hire a lot of trade contractors who don’t know a lot about construction. The cabinet installers, the drywallers, the roofers... They all know their trade (some more than others), but they certainly don’t know everything there is to know about building a house.</p>
<p>Likewise, a builder doesn’t expect you to be able to match his understanding of the building process. What he does expect of anyone he hires, though, is that they’re good at their trade. You don’t have to convince him that you know how to frame a roof. You do have to convince him that you know how to rate a house and that he’ll benefit by hiring you to do so.</p>
<p>It’s certainly possible to display your ignorance to a builder in a way that makes him doubt your ability as a rater. Don’t do that! One way to avoid that scenario is to tell the builder up front that you’re not a building expert but that you know your building science. Don’t ever try to bluff the builder. He’ll see it, and not only will you not rate his houses, he may spread the word to other builders.</p>
<p>The other way to avoid looking like an ignoramus is to make sure you know as much as you can about inspecting and rating new houses. Educate yourself to be a more knowledgeable rater.</p>
<p>Of course, you do need some construction knowledge to be able to rate a house. You have to know how to look at a house and identify all the components of the building envelope (foundation walls, band joists, skylights...), different types of mechanical equipment, and the other pieces of the puzzle. If the builder sees that you can't tell the difference between a furnace and a heat pump, you're history. Even if the builder doesn't discover your ignorance, you have to get that right for the rating to be accurate.</p>
<p>Another great way to learn about construction is to volunteer with Habitat for Humanity. Help them frame the floor, build the walls, insulate and air seal the envelope, and set the windows. They’re simple houses and easy to learn from.</p>
<p>Likewise, if you know a builder, visit their job sites (if they have any these days). If you don’t know a builder, stop and look around anytime you see a new home being built. You may be kicked off the site, but if not, you’ll get the chance to learn something new and possibly even get a job rating the house. Bring your camera, too. Photos are great to add to presentations you make to builders and homeowners when you’re selling your services.</p>
<p>What it really all comes down to is that you don’t have to know everything. You have to know your stuff. And you need to work on building rapport with the builder.</p>